Behind a second-half surge, WKU Men’s Basketball defeated the FIU Panthers 80-70 Saturday afternoon in Diddle Arena. The win moved the Hilltoppers to 13-11 and 6-7 in conference play.

The Hilltoppers came alive in the second half. It started on the defensive end for WKU, holding the Panthers to 34% from the floor and forcing eight of the Panthers 13 turnovers in the half. Despite a sluggish first half for the Hilltoppers, where they shot 28% from the floor, they came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, shooting 44%.

WKU got it done from beyond the arc, finishing the day shooting 35%. Senior forward Grant Newell finished with five of the team’s 13 threes, and senior guard Cam Haffner finished with four.

The Hilltoppers were led by Newell, who finished with 23 points, and Haffner in his first game since Jan. 24. He did not miss a beat, contributing 16 points. Graduate forward Blaise Keita finished with his second career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“Cam is a very talented player and he has the ability to help us win games. He had a very good stretch, and he responded to difficult situations,” Head Coach Hank Plona said.

WKU could not stop the FIU offense in the first half. The Panthers put up points in a hurry, shooting 50% from the floor. The FIU balanced attack had three players finish the half with eight points. The Panthers offense powered a 38-30 halftime lead over the Hilltoppers.

Much like all season, WKU found momentum in the second half and did not look back. A 16-6 run by the Hilltoppers led to a 46-44 lead. WKU outscored the Panthers 50-32 in the second half to get back in the win column.

“We just stayed together, and we stayed positive,” Newell said.

The Hilltoppers will welcome Middle Tennessee State into Diddle Arena Saturday, Feb.14 to finish out their three-game home stand.